Anyway
by Anya-Paradox
Summary: I would stay if you wanted me to Archie." His throat closed. How could he ask her to stay when everyone was gone, when Cronus was defeated, and when she had a family to return to? Archie wouldn't ask that of her. He would die to keep her happy. AxA


**Anyway**

A/N: Just a little one-shot. I haven't written one in a while, and I thought I would put one out there. It's nothing really wonderful, but it's kinda cute. The song inspiring it is '**Anyway'** by Wheatus. I changed the lyrics just a teensy bit. Hope you enjoy and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own ideas. I just borrow CotT characters because they are the best : )

_// I Pretend I Can't Hang Up The Phone, Cause If I Do Then They Get You, And I'll Be In This Room Alone //_

It was silent, and that seemed to be what was scaring him the most. Atlanta and Archie had always had their arguments, their fights, but they had never just sat in silence. But now, with the phone biting against his ear, he was finally feeling the terror that had so escaped him in his battles with Cronus. How could he be afraid of death when he hadn't had anything to live for?

Now, now he was afraid. For the first time, Archie was feeling fear for himself. He had felt fear before, usually for his team mates. Atlanta. Oh gods, he had felt fear for Atlanta, with every slice that had barely missed her, his heart had jumped to his throat.

Fear for himself, that was something new to Archie. He was feeling it now, hearing Atlanta's soft breathing, and his own heart pounding. The phone line was dead, other than these noises and the static. Archie could hear Jay packing downstairs, and Odie's truck revving to life.

It was over. Cronus had been beaten, and everyone was going home. Well, not everyone. Neil was staying in New Olympia, mostly because he had no real family, and had just scored a major acting deal. Archie was staying too.

He told himself he was staying because this was the closest he had ever come to a home. That was true. But the main reason he was staying was because he wanted Atlanta to be able to find him again.

In fact, he didn't want her to leave, didn't ever want her to go. He could still feel the way she had flung her arms around him after their final battle, could still feel the imprint of her lips as he had spontaneously kissed her.

While these memories brought joy, they also stung him because he could also hear the Gods' giving them their lives back, giving them permission to leave.

Abandoned again. How ironic. Archie had been abandoned a total of five times in his life. First, his father left his mother at the hospital. Then, his mother left _him_ at the hospital. Then the orphanage had gone broke, and he had been shuffled onto a foster family. They sent him away. Finally, he had landed with a single woman, who seemed like an angel compared to some of the other families he had been in. But she had killed herself only two months into his guardianship.

Yes, Archie knew all about abandonment. But Atlanta wasn't abandoning him. She had a family she had to go back to, and she promised she would visit. He heard her sniffle.

"Are you crying?" he demanded, suddenly furious and worried.

"No!" She sniffed again, "Well, yes. This sucks."

"What? Don't cry. I thought you would be happy, we defeated Cronus."

"But now we have to leave each other. It's great, everyone wanted to see their families again, but how long till I see you next Archie?"

It was a rhetorical question. She was technically still in New Olympia, at the mall precisely. She would see him in a few hours when she came to pick up her stuff. But he knew what she meant. She meant _this is goodbye, I will never see you again_. Archie swallowed his pain and told her what she had wanted to hear, what she needed to make her happy. Archie would do anything to make her happy.

"Soon enough Lanta. You can always come up here to visit, and I am sure I will head down to see you." His words rang false, but they held a pleading edge as well. Silence.

A few beats later, Atlanta's voice came in a whisper, soft and quiet, very unlike Atlanta, "I would stay if you wanted me to Archie."

His throat closed. He wanted to scream _yes, stay with me, I love you._ But how could he when he knew she wanted to see her family? How could he take away her happiness for his own?

"Thanks Lanta, but you have to go see your family. They miss you. They love you."

Archie could nearly hear her temper flare, "And you don't!?"

His mind whirled, and he knew that silence had once again fallen into their phone call. What had she just said? What should he say?

"I… what?"

Her voice bit across the line, "Never mind, jerk."

Dial tone. Archie dropped the phone and stared at it. Jerk? She never called him that. She always called him Dork.

He wanted to race to the mall, demand she stay with him. He wanted to kiss her again, wanted to hold her. But he couldn't make her stay when her family wanted her home.

It was for the best.

_// And You Would Say I Should Not Be Afraid, I'm Better Off Alone And Free, Cause No One Can Put Up With Me //_

Atlanta stared at her PMR. Archie and her had always argued, but never truly fought. No matter what happened, she would always be there for him, and he would be there for her. But now she had just screwed it all up! Everything was over now.

Stupid, stupid. How could she just claim that he didn't love her? And why had she just assumed that he had!? Maybe Archie didn't love her, maybe he didn't want her. It was all a stupid, stupid lie.

His words from almost a year ago rang in her ear, the words that had changed everything for her, even though he never finished the sentence. _Atlanta, I lo- really, really care about you. _

But he had never finished the sentence.

Her lips burned from the kiss that he had sprung on her after their final battle. Instinct perhaps? He hadn't really though, just grabbed her and kissed her. Looked as surprised and shocked as she felt.

How could he not love her!? He was supposed to; this was what was supposed to happen. But now they were fighting and she had lost her chance. She was going home, back to her parents who were too busy for her, and her brothers who didn't like her much.

Atlanta hated that she still loved him. Hated that she just wanted to call him back, and apologize. Her pride was quickly swallowed and she dialed his number again. Pride or not, she wasn't going to let him just get away with this.

He had to love her, had to.

"Hello?"

She didn't even think, she just started talking, "You aren't allowed to just say, go home Atlanta. No, Archie, not fair. You kissed me! Kissed me and now you just want me to leave!? Well, no deal. Don't you get it!? Just give me a reason to stay Archie, give me one reason." She gasped in a breath, prepared to start speaking again, but was interrupted.

"Atlanta? Let me give you to Archie." Atlanta felt her insides shrivel. Jay. Oh, gods. Jay.

"Oh no! Jay, I'm sorry I didn't mean to tell you I loved you, I was-"

"You love Jay?" Archie's voice. Atlanta thought she might faint, something she had never done before.

"No! I don't love Jay."

"But you just said…" Archie's voice was very steady and quiet. He didn't care at all. Atlanta shook herself. She was the huntress, and if she said he had to love her, he had to.

"Just stay there, I am coming home. I need to explain something very simple to you."

Atlanta ran; something she always did when she was scared. But contrary to the norm, Atlanta ran towards whatever frightened her. She needed to conquer her fears and make them nothing in her mind.

Orin the case of Archie, make him hers.

Jay was standing in the kitchen as she raced past, looking so carefree and happy and _beautiful_ that for a split second in time, Atlanta _did_ love him. But it was never to be, because Jay loved Theresa and she returned these feelings. Atlanta didn't grieve for this fact however, because the instant she saw Archie on the roof, the exact place she had known he would be, she remembered that her heart was so deeply entangled in his Jay could never get it out no matter how happy or handsome he looked.

Atlanta didn't even want to try. Despite being the epitome of a modern woman, Atlanta knew as soon as she locked eyes with Archie's that there was only one person for her.

The never-ending cobalt gaze seared her, and she knew she hadn't been mistaken about his feelings. The love blazing in his expression took her breath away.

Of _course_ Archie loved her. He had to. This was how everything was supposed to be.

Atlanta was sure now, so sure, but the real question was whether or not Archie was.

She had always been too blunt, too brave and too demanding; for the first time in her life these qualities were exactly what she needed.

"I love you." Atlanta declared, walking towards Archie's stunned figure, "And I need you to give me one reason to stay. Just one reason Arch."

He didn't say a word for so long that she feared once more she had been wrong.

Finally, _finally_, he moved like lightning and snatched her wrist. Atlanta was pulled so close that flashes of their first and only kiss scorched through her memory. When Archie spoke, Atlanta would have sworn on her life that her bones sizzled with longing.

"The only reason I can give you that's legitimate is the fact that I am fighting with every molecule of my being the temptation to make you stay."

"Why? Why fight it?" Atlanta wondered breathlessly. She wasn't positive when she had lost the will to stand, and was briefly grateful that the gods had trained Archie to be sufficiently strong enough to hold her weight up.

Archie laughed, "Because I don't want you to stay with me only to realize you lost so much of your life and hate me for it later. Because you deserve so much better. Because your parents love you and deserve to have you come home."

"Do my parents love me more than you?" Her voice was smug, as if she knew she had already won the battle.

Archie hesitated, "They are your parents and-"

Atlanta snapped, "Do they love me more than you? Do you even care about me?!"

She had pushed him too far, and she knew it the instant he pressed her up against the door to the roof. It was thrilling and scary and her blood went white hot at the feel of his anger radiating through her.

She didn't regret it for a moment, even when the grip he had on her arms seemed to bruise her.

"You are the most ridiculous being on the face of the planet and you know _damn_ well that I love you more than is healthy. How couldn't I? You are my best friend, and the only reason I haven't tied you to the house and forced you to stay is because we both know you want to see your family. And why wouldn't you? It's been such a long time, and I don't blame you! Plus, what do you have here? A career? No. A house? No. Friend or family? They are all leaving except for Neil and I, and you can visit us." Archie paused and every inch of anger and frustration seemed to seep out of him to leave only pleading, "Gods, Lanta, _please_ visit us."

She threw her arms around him, and instantaneous reaction that Atlanta wasn't sure until that moment she was capable of having. His arms encased her quickly, and they stood together on the roof for an immortal moment.

"Archie, I love you. I don't want to come visit you; I want to _stay_ here with you. You've given me so many reasons to leave and so many more to stay, but I want you to give me one reason; the most important one."

Archie was done fighting, "Stay with me Atlanta, because I love you. You are the only person I will ever love."

She snickered. "Was that so hard now?"

He flicked her nose at her amusement, "Yes, it was. Because how are you going to explain that to your family?"

Shadows danced across her vision, "I don't need to. They didn't even blink when I was taken here, they just told me that they were happy for me, and enjoy my future. They haven't phoned, emailed, sent a letter or anything. I'll phone them, tell them I have a job secured here and want to stay with my boyfriend."

Archie gaped, "Boyfriend?"

As soon as he said it, Atlanta pulled out of his arms and grinned, hand on hip. "Do you have a problem with being my boyfriend?"

It was a dangerous tone, and Archie knew he needed to remedy the situation as soon as possible. So he pulled her back towards him and laughed.

"Gods no. But you don't have a job here, you know."

Atlanta smirked, "Could I be your agent?"

"My agent?" He was at a loss. Atlanta was making no sense at all.

She yanked an envelope from her back pocket and laughed at him.

"I sent one of your manuscripts in, you know, the ones you hide in your sock drawers?" She waved the envelope in triumph, "And the publishing company said it was good work, and they want three more books within three years."

"Really?" Archie was torn between shock, anger and excitement, "How did you manage to agree to this without me there?"

Atlanta giggled, "I'm your agent. It's a done deal. It will be published within two months."

Archie picked her up and swung her around, letting excitement win. Their laughter mingled in the air, and Archie wondered if this story would end perfectly.

"You have a job."

Then, for the second time, Archie lowered his head down to kiss her softly. Immediately, she deepened the kiss, twining her arms around him. The wall he had pushed her into only minutes earlier was put into use once more, for a far more rewarding activity.

Atlanta's head swirled with the sensation of Archie gently nipping at her lips. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, and couldn't think of anything better than not being able to do these two things.

By the time Archie pulled away, Atlanta was gasping for air and wondering just when she had become such a wanton hussy. Her entire being was trembling and alive, waiting for her next kiss, waiting for her entire life to start. Wanton, dependent and everything Atlanta had promised never to be.

She found she liked being just those things.

"Kiss me again."

Archie didn't answer, but the rough sound of his groan as his lips reconnected with hers told her he didn't mind her demands.

"Atlanta." His voice brought her down from her high.

"Yes Archie?"

"Stop snooping in my sock drawer."

That was all he could think to say after sharing two mind-numbing kisses? Atlanta briefly wondered if maybe she needed to work on her kissing if that was all that came to his mind.

"I can't believe that's the first thing you said to me." She replied.

Archie frowned, "What did you want me to say? That you're as lovely as a rose, with raspberry lips that beckon me to taste and touch until our breath is scarce and yet there is no need for air?"

He was mocking her, and she knew it. "It would have been a nice start." She pouted, "Besides, you're supposed to be a writer."

He kissed her again, just because her pout was more than adorable. "You are the most beautiful girl in the entire world, and I love you."

"You're a jerk."

"But you love me." It was said smugly, and Atlanta hit him in the arm just for looking so handsome while he was being a dork.

"Maybe." She replied, "Just a little bit. Dork."

_// You And Me, We End Up In Catastrophe, But I Have Got One More Thing To Add. Ok, So I'm A Jerk, I'm A Weirdo And Even If I'm Lucky I'll Amount To Zero But I Know That You'll Love Me Anyway. //_


End file.
